Eureka AIR delivers breakthrough ideas for toughest innovation challenges, trusted by R&D personnel around the world.

Frequency tunable micromirror

a micromirror and frequency-tunable technology, applied in the field of optical scanning devices, can solve the problem that the reflection area of the micromirror is the limiting factor for fully utilizing the photon

Inactive Publication Date: 2013-11-14
NANOLITE SYST
View PDF1 Cites 10 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention enables the tuning of the resonant frequency of a micromirror to synchronize two micromirrors within a single optical imaging system. The micromirrors can be rotated by two sets of actuators, each including stator and rotor comb fingers capable of rotating about a torsion bar. By applying a current to the torsion bar, the resonant frequency of the micromirror can be tuned using thermoelectrical heating of the torsion bar. The technical effect of the invention is to provide improved optical imaging performance by achieving synchronization between two micromirrors within a single system.

Problems solved by technology

While conducting macrofield imaging using the confocal probe, the reflecting area of a micromirror is the limiting factor for fully utilizing the photon collected by the objective lens.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Frequency tunable micromirror
  • Frequency tunable micromirror
  • Frequency tunable micromirror

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0015]Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, there is depicted a diagram of a laser-scanning confocal microscope in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applicable. As shown, a laser-scanning confocal microscope 100 includes a diode laser 166, an avalanche photodetector 188, a stationary mirror 172, a movable micromirror 174, a movable frequency tunable micromirror 175 and an objective system 111.

[0016]A linearly-polarized laser beam from diode laser 166 is initially coupled into a single-mode polarization maintaining (PM) fiber 168. Light exiting PM fiber 168 is then collimated by collimators 169 to a 1 mm diameter beam through a zero-order quarter wave-plate 170 whose axis is oriented at 45° to the incident polarization angle in order to convert the illumination to a circular polarization. After reflection off stationary mirror 172, the illumination is incident on micromirror 174 at 22.5° to micromirror 174 normal. Micromirror 174 scans the ...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

An optical imaging system having two micromirrors is disclosed. Each of the two micromirrors can be rotated by a first set of combdrive actuators along a first axis and a second set of combdrive actuators along a second axis. Each of the first and second set of combdrive actuators includes multiple stator comb fingers and multiple rotor comb fingers capable of rotating about a torsion bar. One of the micromirrors can be tuned by applying a current to the torsion bar to change the Young's modulus of the torsion bar via thermoelectrical heating of the torsion bar.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM[0001]The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e)(1) to provisional application No. 61 / 483,305, filed on May 6, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Technical Field[0003]The present invention relates to optical scanning devices in general, and in particular to a frequency turnable micromirror to be utilized in an optical scanning device.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]A laser-based scanning fluorescence imaging system typically includes a confocal probe having a micromirror and an objective lens. The field of view (FOV) of the confocal probe is determined by the back aperture size of the objective lens. In addition, the numerical aperture (NA) of the objective lens determines the fluorescence photon collection ability of the confocal probe. While conducting macrofield imaging using the confocal probe, the reflecting area of a micromirror is the limiting factor for fully utilizi...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G02B26/10
CPCG02B26/0841G02B26/101
Inventor ZHANG, XIAOJINGWANG, YOUMINSHEN, TING
Owner NANOLITE SYST
Who we serve
  • R&D Engineer
  • R&D Manager
  • IP Professional
Why Eureka
  • Industry Leading Data Capabilities
  • Powerful AI technology
  • Patent DNA Extraction
Social media
Eureka Blog
Learn More
PatSnap group products

Browse by: Latest US Patents, China's latest patents, Technical Efficacy Thesaurus, Application Domain, Technology Topic, Popular Technical Reports.

© 2024 PatSnap. All rights reserved.Legal|Privacy policy|Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement|Sitemap|About US| Contact US: help@patsnap.com